Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)

Elevator Pitch: Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, the droids and Han Solo regroup during an escape from the lair of Jabba the Hutt and take on the Empire again, since a new Death Star, protected by a force field, with origins on the planet Endor, is being constructed. They go the Endor and with the help of the Ewoks destroy the force field, but Luke, captured by imperial forces, must confront Darth Vadar, who he knows to be his father, and appealt to what honour remains in him.

Content: Leia is captured Jabba the Hutt, but has saved Han from his carbonite imprisonment. They are all sentenced to die by being eaten by an enormous desert worm but escape. On the planet Endor they are befriended by the little woolly Ewoks. Meanwhile sinister activities take place on the Death Star as Darth Vader and the Emperor get together. There are battles between the rebels and the storm troopers, a bit of light sabreing, and some chomping by monsters.  Han and Leia kiss and Leia looks pretty slinky in the bikini she is forced to wear by Jabba the Hutt.

A View.  Hardly any of the set pieces are overlong, a massive advantage in my book, and the story is simple and moves along pretty well. We know what is happening, and the task of destroying the force field is a straightforward obstacle to be overcome. If anything Luke’s appeal to the evil Darth Vader is a bit weak, and if I was being picky the whole Darth Vader back story could do with a rewrite, but what the hell. Watch the previous film first and then have a go at this one. Together they are a fun few hours.

Additional Info. Carrie Fisher died aged 60 December 2016. After Star Wars she was occasionally in TV shows, mostly as herself, and was an author and screenplay doctor, so the early Star Wars films, in which she appeared while in her 20s, may be a fitting memorial to her.